The present invention relates to computer keyboard technology and more particularly to an intelligent keyboard interface having human language processing capabilities.
A typical computer keyboard includes alphanumeric and function code key pads which are labeled to indicate the functionality of each key. Typically, an application such as a word processor, spread sheet program, and/or mosaics, maps a function provided by that application to a key such that when a user presses the key, that function is initiated by the application. However, because most applications in use at present provide numerous functionalities which exceed the number of keys available on the existing keyboard, those applications typically designate different functionalities by combining the key sequences. The user must then memorize all the key sequences and/or have to refer back to the manual.
The most common solution employed so far is the use of templates which are placed on top of the keyboard, on which are printed the description of the functions. However this solution, although inexpensive, is limited in its usefulness since these templates obviously cannot represent all the necessary possible multiple function keys for the many applications described herein that are now commonly used. Another existing solution using electronic templates is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,029 issued on Jan. 19, 1993 to Jason S. Kim and entitled xe2x80x9cElectronic Keyboard Templatexe2x80x9d. However, the electronic templates not only require an increase in the size of the keyboard, but also are restricted to the representation of the meaning of the keys located in the upper part of the keyboard. For example, the electronic templates do not allow explanation for all the keys of the keyboard, for instance, editing in an emacs document editor.
Yet another solution has been to use pop-up menus and/or icons in place of multiple key functions. This solution however, is extremely cumbersome and inconvenient because a user must frequently switch between the keyboard and a mouse or a digitizer in order to operate the pop-up menus. Moreover, the use of pop-up menus and icons creates a major disadvantage by occupying a large portion of the space on a screen or a display terminal and severely restricting, the available space required to display other more important information such as texts being edited and images further requiring a user to constantly switch between various shells and icons, which is extremely cumbersome and inconvenient.
Accordingly, the presently available devices do not provide feasible solutions to the ever-shrinking size of computers and current trends towards portable equipment such as laptops and notebooks, which do not leave sufficient space for both a screen and key board. Therefore, it is highly desirable to provide a more flexible mechanism for enabling different designations or assignment of functions on the keyboard at different times according to the functionality being employed without the problems associated with the presently available techniques described hereinabove.
The present invention is directed to a novel intelligent keyboard which employs automatic speech recognition (ASR) and semantic language processor (SLP) techniques to provide a user friendly interface for various keyboard uses. The intelligent keyboard of the present invention having an ASR module will enable the individual keypads on the keyboard to display their labels in international languages. For example, the keyboard will include a capability to recognize speech such as xe2x80x9cget Russian alphabetxe2x80x9d and respond by displaying Russian characters on the key pad. An instruction from a user such as xe2x80x9cgo back to Englishxe2x80x9d will drive the keyboard to display the English characters again.
Furthermore, the displays need not be limited to a different set of languages being displayed at different times. A different set of fonts and/or styles in the same language may be displayed according to a user""s instructions. For instance, a user may instruct the intelligent keyboard of the present invention to display cursive style. The cursive style will then appear as labels on each keypad.
Further yet, with the intelligent keyboard of the present invention, a user may request different applications by voice. For example, the user may vocalize xe2x80x9cactivate Internet accessxe2x80x9d, and in response, the intelligent keyboard of the present invention may display symbols on the keys which are used for accessing various Internet functions, including e-mail lists, calls to specific customers, and the like.
Additionally, a user may activate a different application such as a word processor or a spread sheet program and direct the keyboard to display function key labels corresponding to the application by enunciating xe2x80x9cactivate Word Perfect.xe2x80x9d The Intelligent keyboard of the present invention then responds by displaying the function key labels used in Word Perfect word processor application. ASR also may be employed to display different icon images used with applications such as the database applications directly on the key pads.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard keypad set may be transformed into a telephone dial pad when the computer and telephone are integrated. For example, user may specify xe2x80x9ctelephonexe2x80x9d to display a telephone dialer on the keypad. With such capabilities, a user may directly dial a phone number or access any phone number previously stored. The display feature may also include conference call function key labels.
When a user needs to correct the errors from the speech recognizer, the user will have the set of alternative options displayed directly on the keys of the keyboard. The user can easily select the correct option/word, by either pressing the corresponding key, or pronouncing the number of the line where the correct word is displayed. This solution is especially advantageous with reduced size laptops, and particularly with Personal Digital Assistants where the small screens cannot represent simultaneously a speech recognition output and a window with alternative words.
Yet further, the present invention combines a use of SLP with an intelligent keyboard to enable interpretation and processing of multiple key function actions. For example, in applications where one or more keys display different icons, the meaning of a particular icon may depend on other icons that are activated via the respective key buttons at the same time. If an icon represents the picture of a telephone, and other icons represent the list, home, e-mail, or personal computer pictures, then pressing only one single key for example, the icon representing the telephone, may activate a telephone dialer and related functionality. Simultaneously pressing two keys with two icons, e.g., telephone and list, causes the display of the complete list of telephone numbers. Pressing the keys displaying the icons telephone and e-mail, e.g., causes the display of the list of all e-mail addresses. Pressing the keys displaying the icons telephone and home activates the call to the user""s home, for example, via usual telephone. Pressing the keys with labels such as telephone, home, or personal computer (PC) subsequently connects the user subnotebook remotely with his home PC, via a telephone line. In sum, pressing the icon representing the telephone is interpreted by SLP of the present invention as a specific adjective or verb depending on the other keys, which are pressed simultaneously.
The present invention also enables combined use of ASR and SLP which allows the user optionally to either speak the commands, or enter the command by pressing multiple keys, or use the two options simultaneously. An example where the two options may be used simultaneously is in a situation in which a user enunciates the word xe2x80x9csavexe2x80x9d while pressing a key that represents a file that should be saved. Such use makes saving files with long names especially convenient. Another application for the combined use of ASR and SLP with an intelligent keyboard according to the present invent on may be video games where complex user interaction is required quickly. In these cases SLP solves the complex task of recognizing the meaning of the user""s combined voice-keyboard actions, i.e., whether the voice input should be displayed on a screen, e.g., typing a text, or activated on a keyboard, e.g., as an icon, or interpreted as an action, e.g., xe2x80x9ccall homexe2x80x9d.
The intelligent keyboard interface of the present invention may be used with various devices including workstations, desktops, laptops, notebooks, palmtops, webphones, digital cameras, TVs and recorder controllers.
Further features and advantages of the present invention as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.